Legacy income growing at “rapid rate”
New data from the UK’s Legacy Monitor for the last 12 months to the end of March 2022, shows that legacy income is continuing to grow at a rapid rate, rising 15% over the previous 12 months. After a drop in 2021, caused largely by continued delays in probate administration and the effects of the […]
Highest number of charities named in wills in over a decade
New Smee & Ford data shows highest number of charities named in wills in over a decade. Smee & Ford’s annual Legacy Trends Report reveals that 10,670 unique charitable organisations were named in wills in 2021, the highest number on record. As the graph below shows, usually between 9,500-10,000 charities are mentioned in wills each […]
Remember A Charity appoints Lucinda Frostick as new director
Remember A Charity has announced the appointment of Lucinda Frostick as its new director, to lead the 200-strong charity consortium in its aim to grow the legacy market and normalise gifts in Wills. Since its inception Remember A Charity has lobbied government and the legal sector, and communicated with the Will-writing public through a mix of consumer advertising, marketing, public affairs and […]
Charities Act 2022 implementation plan published
The DCMS has published its implementation plan for the Charities Act 2022 which received Royal Assent in February. Implementation is expected to take place in three phases; Autumn 2022, Spring 2023 and Autumn 2023 which could have consequences for estate planners. The implementation of changes to the Act is not a major overhaul of charity law, but will introduce […]
Podcast: IDR Law “let’s talk charity legacy”
Hannah Brittain, IDR Law’s Head of Charity Legacy Disputes sat down with Matthew Lagden, CEO of ILM to have a candid chat about all things legacy related covering everything from the basics, such as what legacies are and why they matter, who ILM are and what their members do and why, through to common issues […]
22% of wills made through legal advisers include charitable bequest
New figures released today show that solicitors and Will-writers are playing an increasingly important role in charitable Will-writing, with more than 1 in 5 Wills handled by UK legal advisers (22%) now including a donation to charity. The Savanta Will-writing survey, commissioned by Remember A Charity, reveals that 7 in 10 solicitors and Will-writers (71%) always or sometimes alert clients to the Inheritance Tax […]
Helping your clients choose a charity to support when writing a will
Charity Choice is the UK’s leading charity directory. We’re pleased to provide you with a free, digital edition of our 2022 Charity Choice directory. This year, we’ve compiled our three directories (England & Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland) together into one easy-to-use digital book, with each region listed in its own separate section. We hope […]
IDR Law: charitable legacies with Hannah Brittain
In the second of our two-part series focusing on developments and initiatives at specialist contentious wills and probate firm IDR Law, Today’s Wills and Probate had an in-depth discussion with Hannah Brittain, head of IDR’s charity legacy disputes, to discuss why the firm has turned more attention to charitable legacies and common issues that can […]
Charities “miss out on £940 million tax relief”
Hard-pressed charities could be missing out on over £940 million a year as generous donors fail to claim tax relief on the money they give, new research from Handelsbanken Wealth Management & Asset Management shows. Charity Commission data shows 60% of organisations have suffered a drop in income during the pandemic. The nationwide study found […]
Legacy Fundraising Virtual Conference
The future for legacy giving is bright with legacy income forecast to more than double in real terms by 2050. And no longer just to the benefit of the really big charities; legacy giving is growing at the grassroots, with thousands of small and local causes receiving legacy gifts for the first time. Legacy Futures talked […]
Collaborative legacy management transforms lives
As a legacy professional who previously worked as a private client solicitor, I read with interest the recent articles about how best to approach the inclusion of a gift to a charity within a client’s will. During my time in private practice, I worked in three different firms and witnessed the varying approaches taken to […]
Working with charities- a legacy administrator’s perspective
Within charities, legacy officers are aware that we can be seen to be ‘difficult’ beneficiaries. My view is that this is almost always down to poor communication on both sides, and I also firmly believe that as a professional legacy administrator, it is my job to ensure clarity and a mutually respectful relationship between the […]
Legacy notifications to reach record numbers in 21/22
Legacy Foresight have compiled their latest Legacy Market Briefing 2021 to the sector following the latest benchmarking and analysis of legacy giving in the UK via their Legacy Monitor Consortium. The report shares top-line findings and analysis for UK legacy giving now and in the years ahead, highlighting key trends and implications for fundraisers. This […]
Let’s work together for everyone’s benefit
I’m a solicitor (qualified in 2006) and STEP member who was in private practice but now working as a Senior Legacy Officer at the NSPCC. While I was still working full time, I volunteered a few hours a week within the NSPCC legacy department. I jumped at the volunteering as a chance to gain some […]
The Downside of Discretionary Trusts for Charitable Will Writing
Kate Johnson’s article of 26 August provided an interesting insight into the view of charity legacy teams held by some probate practitioners. Indeed, when I left private practice to join the third sector eighteen months ago, a few colleagues were horrified. Tensions clearly exist between some parties on either side of the estate administration process. […]
Discretionary trusts have potential to blur legacy administration
In a recent article by Kate Johnson at Wedlake Bell in Today’s Wills and Probate, Ms Johnson sets out her view that it is preferable for testators to benefit charities by including a discretionary trust in their wills. Michael Culver’s subsequent article responded to many of the points made by Ms Johnson, setting out an alternative view. […]
From tax planner to Legacy Professional
Having spent two decades specialising in capital taxes planning for a Big Four accounting firm working alongside Private Client lawyers, it was second nature to me to enhance my role within a hospice charity by forging collaborative relationships with local legal professionals, encouraging many to support our Wills Weeks campaigns and to provide free advice […]
£8 million lost in charity fraud over the last 12 months
The Charity Commission is today warning charity leaders to protect their organisations against fraud and cybercrime, after new figures show charities reported almost £8.6 million of lost funds in the last financial year. This latest data from Action Fraud also shows 1,059 separate incidents of fraud were reported by charities in just one year from […]
Increase in charitable gifts as donors exploit tax-free option
As death duties in recent years have increased, one million people have made gifts to charities in their wills over the past decade to reduce the amount they need to pay in inheritance tax, according to an article in the Daily Telegraph. The article says more people than ever have taken advantage of such donations […]
Charity fraud awareness week – 18 – 22 October 2021
Charity Fraud Awareness Week is coming up from 18th to 22nd October. Now in its sixth year, the week brings together everyone within the sector to talk about fraud, aiming to raise awareness of the an ever-evolving and increasing threat to everyone of online fraud and cyber crime. Brought together by the Fraud Advisory Panel […]